Pu'uhonua o Honaunau, sacred place of refuge

This historic sacred place on the south Kona Coast of the Big Island of Hawaii was the residence and burial place of the pre-contact (prior to Captain Cook in 1778) Hawaiian kings and also a place of refuge for convicted criminals who had broken the sacred laws and were facing the death penalty. If they could escape into the ocean and swim here they could stay in the place of refuge and possibly obtain forgiveness. These figures overseeing the entrance to the bay represent ancient gods, deities, and the spirit of kings, one symbolizing life and renewal and the other symbolizing safe oceanic travel (in my simplistic understanding). Following this are several images of the refuge, now a Historic State Park in Hawaii.